Nevada Bounces Listless Titans

Cal State Fullerton returned to the Big West women’s basketball tournament Wednesday night after a two-year absence, but it turned out to be for only one game.

And it was a big disappointment at that, as far as Titan Coach Denise Curry was concerned.

Host Nevada spoiled the Titans’ first conference tournament appearance under Curry with an 81-45 victory at the Lawlor Events Center.

“I’m disappointed with our lack of effort and our intensity,” Curry said. “We didn’t show up to play, and that has to be my fault. It was our poorest effort of the year, but hopefully we’ll have another chance next year and we’ll be able to do better.”

Curry had been concerned about Nevada’s height and the strong inside play of 6-foot-2 Ieesha Donadelle and 6-6 Jelena Zrnic.

Her anxiety was justified. Donadelle scored 19 points, including 14 in the first half, and Zrnic had 14.

What Curry didn’t expect was her team to struggle through the first half shooting only 23% from the field. Fullerton scored only 16 points in the first half. The Titans never recovered and shot only 31% for the game. “I really don’t know why we were so flat,” Curry said. “We should have played them better than we did.”

No Titan player managed to reach double figures in scoring. Senior guard Kris Sigg’s nine points were a team high. “In big tournaments like this, you have to do big things, and we didn’t do them,” Sigg said. Nevada (19-8) advances to today’s semifinal round against UC Santa Barbara.

The Titans, who end the season 10-17, were in their best shape from an injury standpoint in three weeks, but it didn’t help against the Wolf Pack.

Sophomore center Erin Whiteside was back after missing four games. Whiteside, the team’s third-leading scorer and leading rebounder, had been out two weeks because of a dislocated shoulder and was listed as doubtful early in the week. She played 32 minutes, scoring seven points.

“They told us she might be able to play in two weeks, and it was two weeks to the day,” Curry said. “She’s been our best post defender and so we wanted to have her available if we could.”

Freshman forward Nashira Shaw--out for the season because of a broken cheekbone--was the only player missing.

When the Titans were beaten by 20 points in their regular-season game against the Wolf Pack in Reno three weeks ago, Sigg was hit in the nose and played only 17 minutes, scoring eight points. Forward Justine McMahan also injured her knee.

This time, McMahan was fouled hard by Zrnic late in the first half, and hit her head on the floor as she fell backward, but she was back at the start of the second half.

McMahan produced what little offense the Titans had in the first half with seven points. The Titans managed 26 shots, but McMahan’s three fields goal were half of the six Fullerton made.

It didn’t get any better for the Titans in the second half and they finished with their lowest scoring total of the season. They fell behind, 48-20, at one point early in the second half, and Nevada coasted from there.

Nevada had a 58-39 rebounding advantage and shot 44% from the floor.